1. Field of the Invention
The invention is concerned with the field of infrared radiant heating. Such heating may be utilized for a number of purposes including but not limited to shrink fitting of parts, soldering and the like. Somewhat more particularly, the invention is directed to a particular apparatus for carrying out fast acting radiant heating.
2. Prior Art
The prior art discloses any number of means for accomplishing conductive and radiant heating. In the field of conductive heating, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,422,826 discloses electrically heated tongs, which can be closed about a part to heat it. Radiant heating of parts is taught for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,515,853 which is concerned with a heating tool having a pair of aligned, semi-cylindrical subheads, each supported at one end of a handle and each subhead containing a plurality of elongated heating elements arranged parallel to the axis of the subheads. The handles are interconnected in a plier-type or sugar-tong type arrangement whereby the subheads can be moved from an open position to a closed position encircling the workpiece to be heated. The subheads may be provided with reflectors to reflect radiation towards the workpiece. U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,005 discloses a brazing furnace which utilizes as the heating source therein high temperature radiating lamps of the infrared generating variety such as quartz iodide lamps. U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,051 discloses apparatus for stress relieving a welded joint between large diameter pipes comprising a plurality of electric heating modules hinged end to end so as to fit chain-like around the circumference of the pipe. Each heater module comprises several quartz bulbs projecting from an air-cooled housing in which the bases of bulbs are supported and a reflector to direct heat from the bulb toward the pipe.
While each of the just discussed patents discloses a useful heating apparatus, none of these references discloses such an apparatus wherein the apparatus is adjustable to fit adequately about many different places to be heated, wherein the light produced by the lamps thereof is generally unidirectional so that it can be maximally utilized to heat a workpiece, wherein the means which causes the light from each of a pair of lamps to be generally unidirectional is sufficiently insulated from the members which support the lamps so that these members do not become overlyheated. The present invention provides an apparatus which in its broadest embodiment accomplishes all of these desired results. The apparatus of the present invention is further, highly adjustable and even disassemblable whereby it can be used in a number of different applications thereby providing great versatility to its use.